Her Sport Foundation Empowers Nearly 2,000 Girls Through Education In Its First Year

The Her Sport Foundation CLG has published its first Impact Report (2024–2025), marking a defining first year of work to strengthen opportunity, visibility and equality for women and girls in sport.

Launched in November 2024, The Her Sport Foundation was created to close the gender gap in sport. Its work reaches across the full sporting ecosystem, from the girl picking up a ball for the first time to the coach or volunteer opening a door, and the athlete or fan who deserves to see women represented, celebrated and supported.

In its first year, The Her Sport Foundation delivered 38 school workshops, reaching 1,986 students, including 283 in DEIS schools. These sessions opened conversations about confidence, body image and menstrual health, helping girls see sport as a place they belong. Eighty-two percent of girls not already active said the workshops encouraged them to try sport, while 91 percent of those already playing said they were more likely to stay involved. Ninety-seven percent left feeling more empowered to deal with obstacles, and every participant said they would recommend the programme to a friend. Teachers reported stronger confidence and engagement among students in the weeks that followed. Demand continues to grow, with 46 schools and clubs already seeking support for 2026.

Research by The Her Sport Foundation found that 40 percent of athletes experience financial strain and 60 percent have no clear post-sport career plan. These insights are guiding the Foundation’s advocacy work and the development of a new grants programme. The Her Sport Foundation also amplified research that reached more than 15 million people, cited in the Oireachtas, referenced in policy discussions and shared internationally, including by FC Barcelona.

The Her Sport Foundation made two policy submissions to the Oireachtas Committee on Inclusion in Sport and the National Women and Girls Strategy, calling for equality in access, funding and visibility across Irish sport. The submissions highlighted the need for structural change rather than symbolic support, ensuring that equality is built into how sport is funded, governed and covered in the media. They also emphasised the importance of measuring women’s sport as an economic and social contributor, and of embedding athlete voice in the decisions that shape participation and performance pathways.

Every year in Ireland, one in five girls drops out of sport between primary and post-primary school. By age 20, one in two has left sport entirely. That is the equivalent of four sold-out Croke Parks missing from participation. Physical inactivity contributes to around 4,000 deaths each year and costs the State an estimated €1.5 billion annually in healthcare and lost productivity. Yet the benefits of participation are clear, with girls who play sport showing lower risks of heart disease, dementia and cancer, as well as stronger mental health and wellbeing. Keeping girls in sport is not only about participation; it is about health, equality and community, and ensuring that the next generation of Irish women can thrive.

Niamh Tallon, Director and Co-Founder of the Her Sport Foundation CLG, said:

“This report shares that first chapter, the results after one year and the ambition to grow further. It shows what happens when education, visibility, advocacy and research come together with one purpose: to keep girls in the game and strengthen women’s sport at every level. Every girl deserves the chance to play. Ireland deserves the women they’ll become if we keep them in the game.”

The findings of the Impact Report were unveiled at the second Her Sport Foundation Gala, where athletes, educators and supporters gathered to reflect on progress and ambition. The Gala featured voices across generations. Former Lord Mayor of Dublin Emma Blain opened the evening with a call to support girls in schools and clubs. Marathon runner Mary Nolan Hickey and multi-sport international Lindsay Peat shared the barriers they faced, while 17-year-old youth coach Sorcha Brien spoke about helping her peers stay active. Later, former high-performance swimmer and current Her Sport Foundation education facilitator India McGlynn, broadcaster Áine Kerr and Niamh Tallon discussed how visibility, education and culture can change opportunities for girls in sport. Funds raised from the Gala will directly support The Her Sport Foundation’s 2026 education and advocacy programmes.